1125 Saturday, Sunday, Today

Monday, February 19, 2007

I was scheduled to work at the maritime museum on Saturday, from 1 to 5. The museum isn't technically open, but they decided to open for one day during the Rondout's Mardi Gras day.

I was told could wear a costume. I decided to wear a purple renaissance dress, with a floral headpiece, and 10 genuine-from-New-Orleans purple, gold, and green bead necklaces, and Victorian tapestry lace-up high heeled boots. The dress has a wide neck with quilted trim, very long pointed sweeping sleeves with lacing up the upper arms, the ties hanging down to my ankles, and a flared skirt. I love things that swing and flutter when I walk, and this dress flutters all over. Not exactly Mardi Gras style, but I love the dress and never get to wear it, so I grabbed the opportunity.

I looked really good, and got a lot of compliments. Unfortunately, no photos.

So often when I've worked at the museum, there are long periods of nothing happening, so I took some crocheting and a book. In three and a half hours, we had at least 350 people stop in. It was a madhouse. We weren't charging admission because the main gallery wasn't open, so all I had to do was tell people where the bathrooms, children's activities, hot mulled cider, and juggling was, keep count of how many came in, and collect money if anyone bought anything in the shop. I lost count several times, because they were coming through so fast. I sold a lot of postcards, probably 30 t-shirts, several books, and some toys. I've never seen the shop so busy. We also gave away beads and masks.

About halfway through, I found out partly why - the museum is having a big iceboat display for the opening on May 5, including the huge rather famous Roosevelt iceboat. The newspaper blurb on Saturday's activities on the Rondout was badly worded, and it sounded like the iceboats would be there Saturday (which would have made sense - we've got ICE now!). As it was, we had only one small iceboat set up in the side yard. Which didn't satisfy the folks who had come from Vermont and Michigan to see the iceboats. Thud. Oops.

Anyway, I spent about four hours standing and running around in my highest heels (4", which doesn't sound all that bad until you realize that my entire foot is only 8.5"). Since retirement, I have avoided heels over an inch and a half, so I was very tired by 5 pm, when I got the flock out of there before the parade started and they closed the streets and and I'd be stuck there for hours.

Went home, changed clothes, etc, and met FirstWoman at 9 pm at a Freestyle Frolic dance in Kingston. Interesting people there. It's a regular DJ playing club music, but everyone dances (no shoes allowed!) on their own. Partners seemed not only optional, but unnecessary. I tried to get with it, but I just wasn't feeling it. I found a chair along the wall that looked like a throne, and settled in to watch. I think about half the people there were high on something. Late in the evening, the Lady (local bellydancer) and her husband (drummer) arrived, and I enjoyed watching them. (Their sexual energy rolls across one in waves!)

FirstWoman and I went out for food after, and I got home maybe 1 am-ish, I forget.

I will probably go again, maybe once or twice, but it's not going to be a venue where I'm likely to meet a man. I like the nerdy types, and the possibilities there were so far from nerdy.... I mentioned that to FW, and she said, well, where are you most likely to meet nerds? There are computer clubs that meet in Kingston and Poughkeepsie. I attended one once when the topic was something Roman was interested in but he couldn't attend, so I went for him, and later I scolded him, "Why didn't you tell me that's where are the men are?" Maybe I'll get their meeting schedules and check it out again.

I almost didn't go to the frolic, because of the mulled cider. I had been sipping it all afternoon, and then when we were about to close up, Betty said she was going to dump what was left down the drain. It was so good, and cider is good for you, so I thought that would be a shame, and I'd had nothing else to eat all day beyond my breakfast yogurt - so I quickly drank almost a quart of what was actually dregs. Heavily spiced dregs.

It started when I was driving home, the strangest loud noises from my tummy. It got worse. I was afraid to eat anything - more ammunition and all that. I went to the frolic hoping the bathroom would be convenient, but was thankful to find that the ballistics seemed to be over. I do have a fast system - even normal input goes through quickly.

So, that was Saturday. I don't have the faintest idea what I did yesterday, and I don't seem to have done anything today. I'll have to ask the cat.
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